The Sacrifices for Protection
by Aleigha
Summary: Rossi, Prentiss, and Reid each had their reasons for helping out those kids four years ago. They kept the case a secret; thinking there was no need for the team to find out since it was over and done with fairly quickly. Or so they thought. After a series of uncalled for events, the case re-opens. How much are the three agents willing to sacrifice in order to protect these kids?
1. Find Karsyn

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Criminal Minds, the characters, etc! I own this plot idea as well as Karsyn, Seren, Zander etc! **

_Author's Note:__ My new story! I'm writing this with Gehenavieve! There are parts in here that I came up with and parts that she did. It starts off in the past and then it will go to the present. Enjoy and let US know what you think!_

**The Sacrifices for Protection**

**Chapter 1**

**Find Karsyn**

_Four years earlier..._

There came a point in Karsyn Tylk's life where she just couldn't take it anymore. The house she and her step-cousins, Seren and Zander, lived in was more like a prison than a place they could call "home". It was a small, rundown bungalow in what she believed to be a shady neighborhood; although her step-uncle, Levi, believed otherwise. Karsyn did her best to keep the place clean, but with mould growing on certain parts of the walls and a leaking roof, the whole place had become a safety hazard. The boys didn't deserve to live in a place like that, and quite frankly, neither did she.

Aside from the house, Levi's constant drinking had become more of a hassle than anything else. His irresponsibility when it came to alcohol made Karsyn more of a parental figure to Seren and Zander than he was; and she was only fifteen years old. When drunk, Levi became a violent, dangerous slob. The environment he had created for Karsyn and the boys was no longer acceptable, let alone safe, and Karsyn knew they needed to leave.

Talking to the Miami police wasn't exactly an option for Karsyn anymore. Problem was Levi used to be the police chief; one whom everybody still respected, thus they didn't believe Karsyn when she complained he was an abusive alcoholic.

Today, everything was going to change, and Karsyn was sure of it. She knew the FBI was in town assisting the police with a series of murder investigations, and if she could just speak to one of the agents, she knew deep down that they would help her, Seren, and Zander escape their nightmare. If they didn't, Karsyn would have to take matters into her own hands.

Karsyn wasn't the typical fifteen year old girl. She was average in school, but when it came to the real world, she was a street-smart genius. Being the daughter of an army general for a father and a cop for a mother, Karsyn knew how to fight with words and fists in order to protect herself. She also knew how to evade; how to cover her tracks when necessary. And with no real connections, she could easily change her identity and nobody would be the wiser. She was hoping things wouldn't come to that, but if the FBI refused to help, she was prepared to make the sacrifices for her sake, as well as boys.

_*Beep Beep Beep*_

The alarm on Karsyn's watch warned her that it was quarter to eight; meaning she had fifteen minutes left to get herself and the boys packed up and out the door. It was Tuesday, a school day, however, as she, Seren, and Zander had discussed the night before; they weren't going. Instead, they were stuffing their backpacks with the little belongings they had and were heading down to the police station.

Karsyn heard a knock on her bedroom door. She quickly zipped her bag shut, slung it over her shoulder, and went to answer it.

As soon as the door swung open, Zander –with his backpack over his shoulder –said with a smile, "I'm all ready to go, Karsyn."

Karsyn stepped out of her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She looked at the boy with red hair and blue eyes, "Great! Where's Seren?"

"He's waiting by the door," Zander explained.

"Alright, let's go."

The two walked down the hallway and into the kitchen –which was where the front door of the house was. Moments after entering the room, Karsyn could feel herself starting to panic. There, standing by the door, was Seren –the youngest –holding his teddy-bear in his arms and shooting her a terrified expression. Next to Seren was a drunk Levi; the monster of a step-uncle with a beer bottle in his hand, giving Karsyn the worst glare he possibly could.

Karsyn knew the dilemma; Seren's bear only left the house for sleepovers –something Levi had forbidden during the week.

"So if you're not going to school," Levi began to say. "Then where are you guys off to?"

"We are going to school," Karsyn quickly explained.

"Then why does Seren have his bear?"

"He needs it for show-and-tell," she lied.

Levi took the few steps necessary to reach Karsyn; his dark green eyes staring into her blue ones; their faces inches apart as he towered over her.

"You lying to me b..."

"Don't swear in front of them," she interrupted sternly.

"I'll swear if I want to," he shot back almost inaudibly.

Levi was unshaven, and his shoulder-length dirty blonde hair was greasy. His breath reeked of alcohol, and he smelt a bike like vomit as well. Karsyn didn't know when he had last showered, neither did she care.

The two glared at each other in silence, until Levi whispered, "If the boys aren't home by four o' clock sharp, I'll kill you. You understand that Karsyn Marie Tylk?"

"Yes sir," she hissed; without a trace of fear in her voice.

Levi jerked his bottle towards Karsyn; beer spilling up onto her face.

The beer stung her eyes, but she did nothing.

"Get out of my sight," Levi said and then walked away.

The walk to the police station lasted just over an hour and a half. Zander complained almost the whole way there but Seren silently walked while holding Karsyn's hand. When they got to the station, they found it to be surprisingly quiet. There were a few faces that Karsyn didn't recognize, and she figured they must be new officers. She took a moment to scan the room; trying to pick which officer she wanted to talk to. Picking an officer was a critical decision. They had to be new; someone who didn't recognize her and the boys, and they had to be someone who could show her to the FBI agents she knew were around.

Karsyn must've been standing there for quite some time, lost in thought, because it took her a few moments to realize that a woman had walked up to her.

"Can I help you with something?" the woman asked kindly.

Karsyn stared into the woman's deep brown eyes. She had dark brown –almost black –hair that had been curled and hung down past her shoulders. There was a gun holstered by her hip, and her gray pants matched the suit jacket that fit snugly around her midsection.

Before Karsyn had the chance to respond, a young man with brown hair and brown eyes came up to the woman and said, "Emily, Rossi needs to talk to you."

"Yeah, in a minute, Reid" she said, shooing the man away.

Before Reid left, he ended up locking eyes with the young boy holding the teddy-bear. He felt his heart skip a beat. It was like looking in the mirror. The boy had short brown hair and brown eyes. He wore glasses, and looked almost exactly the way Reid had when he was a kid.

A bit creeped out, Reid leaned in closer to Prentiss and whispered, "What do they want?"

Prentiss looked at the girl in front of her. She was wearing a fitted blue T-shirt and black flats. Her black shorts were somewhat covered in pockets, and at the bottom of each pant leg were strings tied into little bows that rested on the outer side of her knees. Her hair was a light brown, but under the light it looked almost like a dark blonde. It was a bit on the thicker side, yet it was pin straight, and she had it up in a ponytail. Her bangs covered her forehead and just past her eyebrows. She had some longer hairs that didn't fit into the ponytail and they hung down on the sides of her face. The girl had soft, innocent eyes. They were a deep blue and round just like JJ's.

"I'm not sure," Prentiss replied.

"We need to talk to the FBI," Seren said with a smile; having heard what Reid had whispered.

A bit stunned, Prentiss said, "Well..."

"We are the FBI," Reid answered in a gentle tone.

It was then that Rossi came up behind them. "Does it take that long to walk back to the room?" he asked as a joke; having not noticed that Reid and Prentiss were a bit preoccupied.

"We got a bit sidetracked," Prentiss stated while pointing towards the three kids. "They said they needed to talk to the FBI."

Rossi looked past Reid and Prentiss and saw Karsyn, Seren, and Zander. He gave them a soft smile, and answered, "Come this way." He pointed towards the police station exit. "We'll talk to you outside."

Maybe it was the fact that the smell of alcohol on Karsyn made her story that much more believable, or the fact that there was something in her story that each of them could relate to. Or maybe it was the fact that protecting people was part of their job. But regardless of the reason, and without giving the situation a second thought, the three agents agreed to help Karsyn and the boys out.

Over the course of the next few months, Rossi, Prentiss, and Reid were able to send Levi to prison with charges for child abuse and neglect, as well as driving while intoxicated. When it came to the kids, Seren and Zander were kept together, and were sent to one foster home. Karsyn, on the other hand, insisted it would be better for her if she was separated from them, so she was sent somewhere else.

The three agents kept Karsyn and her step-cousins case a secret from the team. It was something they took on themselves and they didn't feel the others needed to be involved with it. But like most secrets, the case eventually came back to haunt them, and the team found out. Not because they were careless, but because they never took what happened next into consideration.

_Present day..._

Karsyn, now nineteen years old, sat at her desk writing a college paper. It was a Friday night; her foster parents were in the kitchen watching the six o' clock news. The volume had been turned up loud, and Karsyn's door was a crack open, so she could hear every word.

After listening to the news closely for a few minutes, Karsyn knew she was in serious trouble. Her palms became sweaty, her throat became dry, and her heart started pounding in her chest. She didn't even bother to listen to the rest of the broadcast before abruptly standing up from her desk and beginning to pack her things. If she was going to live, she needed to leave –now.

. . .

The case Garcia had briefly described at the BAU made Rossi, Prentiss, and Reid start to panic. The fact that Levi had escaped prison on the same day Seren and Zander went missing was too suspicious to be coincidental. They had a gut feeling that Levi would now be after Karsyn. After all, she was the reason for his arrest, and she had told them earlier that he had threatened to kill her. But they had to wait until the jet landed in Miami to learn more of the details.

In all honesty, the three of them never thought things would turn out this way, but they had. So while the rest of the team sat on the jet and came up with ways to find Levi and the boys, all Rossi, Prentiss, and Reid could think about was, "Find Karsyn."

_Author's Note:__ I have no idea what's going to happen next. Chapter updates are probably going to be a bit random so hang in there!...__**PLEASE REVIEW! **_


	2. Something Wrong

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Criminal Minds, the characters, the quote I used etc! I own this plot idea as well as Karsyn, Seren, Zander etc! **

_Author's Note:__ Sorry for the wait! I had a severe case of writer's block..._

**The Sacrifices for Protection**

**Chapter 2**

**Something Wrong**

"_**The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." –Albert Einstein**_

It's true what they say; if a person practices a skill enough, it eventually becomes natural. Hotch being a prime example of such a fact. He immediately knew something was wrong the moment Garcia explained the case to the team, and the blood inside three of his agents faces completely drained. The cause of Rossi, Prentiss, and Reid's sudden burst of anxiety Hotch didn't know, but his gut told him they were connected to this case; even if they refused to tell him how.

"Now's not the time, Hotch," Rossi had said to him on the jet when he'd asked. "Once we learn all the facts, then we'll be able to explain everything."

If only things had gone that smoothly. The moment the BAU entered the Miami police department, a major complication arose that changed everything. The detective leading the case –Amanda Lee –who was an Asian woman in her early thirties, explained that according to witnesses, the boys had been abducted by a female, meaning Levi couldn't be responsible for their disappearance.

Prentiss got an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach. Despite what the others might've thought, she knew Karsyn quite a bit better than she let on. Because of this, she had a feeling that the boy's abduction had been Karsyn's handiwork.

"If Levi doesn't have the boys, then I'm almost positive Karsyn does," Prentiss thought out loud.

"Who's Karsyn?" Hotch asked.

It was Prentiss who opened her mouth to answer, but it was Reid's voice the others heard instead. He explained who Karsyn was, how he, Rossi, and Prentiss helped Karsyn, Seren, and Zander escape Levi –everything. Later, it was Rossi who clarified why the three of them hadn't told the team anything earlier. His reason was that the case had been solved so quickly, that there was no need to get the others involved. Prentiss knew that that was probably the answer for Rossi and Reid, but it definitely wasn't the reason behind her choice to keep everything a secret. Her reason was much more complicated than that.

. . .

The feeling of ice cold water splashing onto his face was most refreshing, even if it only lasted a few brief seconds. The familiar wave of discomfort washed over Levi once more. He quickly turned off the tap, grabbed the nearest towel to dry off his face, and then went straight to the toilet to throw-up what little contents still stood in his stomach.

Getting drunk during his first few hours of freedom wasn't the smartest idea. But it had been so long since he had a drink, and when the opportunity showed itself, he couldn't resist. The temptation was too strong, even if the effects would later tamper with his mind –which was the last thing he needed.

'_Just one more,'_ Levi thought to himself after the bar tender filled his glass, _'and then I'll find Karsyn.' _

It's not like Levi gave a hoot about Karsyn –in fact, he hated her more than anybody in the world –but he knew that if he found her, he would find his boys as well. And they were the people he really cared about, even if he hadn't shown it when it mattered. Being in jail gave him plenty of time to reflect on how bad of a father he had been in the past, and once he found the boys, that was the first thing he was going to change. But in order to make sure that happened, he needed to sober up and get his act together.

. . .

There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the moon shone brightly on the highway; illuminating it somewhat. The three were completely alone in the car. There was no traffic in front of them, or behind.

Karsyn took her eyes off the road for a brief second to check her rear-view mirror. It was getting quite late, so the boys had passed out in the back seat. The sight of their sleeping faces brought a small smile to her face.

It had been wrong, and Karsyn was fully aware of that, but it was the only way to make sure the boys would be safe. She didn't trust the boys' foster parents, and they weren't exactly fond of her either, therefore abducting them before Levi had the chance was the only way to go.

It wasn't like she had taken the boys without their permission, they had been perfectly happy to pack up their things and jump into her car. Even though she didn't live with them, or visit them as often as she would have liked, the boys still trusted her. They had trusted her to keep them safe in the past, and that still stood to this very day.

Figuring that they were far enough away from the city, Karsyn pulled onto the shoulder of the highway and put her car in _'park'_. Knowing that if she wanted to protect her step-cousins, now was the time to make the phone call. Thus she quickly fumbled around her glove compartment for her phone, and once she found it, dialled the only number out of the three she had managed to remember.

_Author's Note:__ I'm not quite sure who she's going to call, I'll have to think about it...__**PLEASE REVIEW! **_


	3. The Woman Who Let Me Down

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own CM (Criminal Minds), the characters for the show, and all that other stuff the show owns and I don't. I own Karsyn, Seren, Zander, and Levi! **

_Author's Note:__ Yeah I know...It's taken WAY too long to update. The length should make up for the wait._

**The Sacrifices for Protection**

**Chapter 3**

"**The Woman Who Let Me Down"**

It amazed Prentiss how calming driving on a highway at night _could_ be. No horns honking, idiot drivers, people crossing the street when they weren't supposed to –just the company of the soft looking stars and shining moon that lit up the dark sky.

With hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles were white, Prentiss drove to the outskirts of the city with Rossi sitting quietly in the passenger's seat next to her. Less than ten minutes earlier –when Prentiss and Rossi were still at the police station with the rest of the team –Karsyn had called Rossi on his cell phone. She told him nothing except to meet her at a certain ice cream parlor as soon as possible, and that's where they were headed right now.

As Prentiss drove on the highway in utter silence –and once the initial thought of Karsyn being in serious trouble had past –she felt an uncomfortable tug at her heart. She figured that, out of all people, Karsyn would have called her if she needed something. Not Rossi! –Then again, maybe Karsyn didn't know who Prentiss was to her four years ago. Maybe, since Karsyn had been fairly young when the whole incident involving Prentiss started, she just didn't remember. But on the other hand, what if she did know? What if Karsyn just didn't trust her anymore? Prentiss knew she hadn't been the best person in the world back then, but a lot had changed in seven years. She had changed, and she was no longer the same person she once had been.

. . .

It was a rare occasion for Reid to feel really, truly angry. Yet that was how he felt as Hotch walked him out of Seren and Zander's foster parents' living room.

Once outside on the front porch –and more importantly, out of earshot from the foster parents –Hotch asked, "What's going on with you, Reid?" in that serious voice he was so skilled at. "You're treating these people like they're the enemy in this case when they're actually the victims!"

"The way they spoke of Karsyn _does_ make them sound like the enemies in this situation," Reid answered.

"Why?"

"Karsyn is not a bad influence on those boys, Hotch, believe me. If anything, she's the best thing that's ever happened to them," Reid said sternly.

"People change, Reid, you know this better than anybody. You haven't seen Karsyn in four years and my guess is that she probably has too."

"You're wrong. She hasn't changed."

Starting to get a bit ticked off, Hotch asked, "Is that a fact? Or just an assumption you're making because you refuse to believe anything different?"

"It's a fact."

"Prove it."

Reid pulled out his phone and showed Hotch his email inbox. Hotch noticed how there were recent emails from all three of the kids.

"The boys tell me how much they miss Karsyn all the time," Reid explained as he put his phone back in his pocket. "And Karsyn tells me how life is whenever she gets the chance."

There was a small pause before Hotch spoke, "Why do you keep tabs on them?"

"Karsyn asked me to. She said that they all could use a confident. –They deserve to have someone out there who cares, Hotch, because I can tell you right now that their foster parents don't."

. . .

It took Karsyn a while to get to her destination, and when she eventually got there, she bought the boys ice cream to cheer them up. She hadn't told them what was going on yet, so they had no reason to be sad about that, but they still looked that way none the less.

The three of them sat at a small table in the ice cream parlor; Karsyn on one side and the boys on the other. As the boys ate their frozen treat, Karsyn kept catching herself studying them. She was taking in all the changes; because every time she saw them, something always seemed to be different. Take Zander for example. He was thirteen years old now, and whenever Karsyn saw him again, he looked more and more like the man she knew he would be someday. The way he styled his flaming red hair was the same as all the other boys his age; spiked up in the front, he had more muscles now than he ever had, and his voice seemed to get deeper with every word that came out of his mouth. But his eyes hadn't changed. They were just as loving as ever, and he still had that gentle personality she loved so much. The ten year old Seren, on the other hand, hadn't changed quite as much. His glasses were different, his hair longer, and his body taller; but other than that, he was still the sweet little boy she would do anything to protect.

Zander had his one elbow resting on the table; cradling his head in his hand, while the other hand stirred the ice cream around in his bowl. Karsyn noticed the bleak expression he was wearing, so she reached across the table and touched him on the arm. Zander let go of the spoon and Karsyn took his now free hand in hers.

"What's up, bud'," she asked in that caring voice that came naturally.

"You're not staying here, are you? You're leaving us again," Zander answered without looking at her. He was staring down at the mush he had created in his bowl.

Karsyn sighed; her expression saddening, "I don't have a choice."

"Yes you do!" Zander replied a bit too loudly. He lowered his voice back to normal, "Just stay with us this time. –Please, Karsyn. Don't go."

Karsyn let go of his hand and leaned back in her chair. She made eye contact with both of her step-cousins, "You two are old enough to know this now; you're dad is going to kill me the first chance he gets. Why? Because I took you guys away from him. I'm pretty sure he's looking for you two as we speak so he can have you back. I won't give him the pleasure of getting all three of us. I refuse to let that happen; which is why I have to leave."

"Does that mean you're going to just leave us by ourselves?" Seren asked with a hint of panic in his voice.

"No!" Karsyn answered quickly. "No. I'm going to leave you guys with someone who I know will keep you safe."

"Like who?"

It was at that moment when Rossi burst through the door. Karsyn looked over her shoulder, noticed him coming towards her, and then looked back at the boys to say, "One of the agents."

Karsyn stood up from the table and motioned to the boys to stay where they were. They complied, so she walked up to Rossi alone.

Rossi smiled as Karsyn approached. "Everything okay?" he asked when she stopped in front of him.

"I need a favour," she answered right away.

"Let's hear it."

"I need you to take the boys off my hands and protect them from Levi."

Karsyn held her breath as she waited for an answer.

Rossi didn't know how to respond to that. At least he now knew who had taken the boys in the first place.

"Please, Agent Rossi. Levi knows where they live so they can't go back there."

The desperation in her voice was crystal clear. He hadn't known what to say until he pictured the look of fear in her eyes if he had the heart to say 'no'. Not wanting to be the enemy, Rossi nodded his head.

"I'll do it."

"Promise me you'll keep them safe."

"I promise."

Karsyn felt her whole body relax as she sighed with relief. "Thank you," she finally managed to say.

With one quick glance behind her, Karsyn made eye contact with the boys. They immediately left the table and ran up to her. Seren, having some idea of what was happening, wrapped his arms around Karsyn's mid-section so tightly she could barely breathe. She hugged him for a while, and then let go to hold his head between her hands and see glistening tears forming in his eyes. Karsyn smiled, hugged him for a second time, and then said softly, "Don't cry, Seren. Everything's going to be just fine."

"I love you," he replied.

"I love you too," she whispered.

After letting go of Seren, Karsyn turned her attention to his brother. She put both hands on his shoulders so they were looking at each other face to face, "Take care of your brother, alright?"

"I will," Zander answered.

Karsyn hugged him just as tightly as she had hugged Seren, "Don't worry about me, okay?"

Zander didn't know what to say, so he stayed silent.

Moments later, Karsyn took a step back from the boys; and thus one closer to the exit.

"Where will you go?" Rossi asked her.

"I don't know," she answered honestly.

"You know my number if something goes wrong."

Karsyn nodded, smiled one last time at her step-cousins, and then walked away.

Prentiss had had to drive around the block for a while before she could finally find a decent place to park the SUV. She had dropped Rossi off beforehand so he could meet up with Karsyn, Seren, and Zander.

Prentiss was about to walk into the building when she bumped into Karsyn; who had just stepped out.

"Hey, where are you off to?" Prentiss asked with genuine concern.

Karsyn looked at the person who was speaking, and recognized the face immediately. She stared directly into the eyes that were familiar to her in more ways than one. Having no reason to feel this way at that moment, Karsyn still felt a wave of burning anger sweep over her towards the agent. Karsyn respected Emily, yes, but after having learnt who Agent Prentiss _really_ was, there was a part of her that loathed the woman.

"I'm leaving," Karsyn said finally.

"Where are the boys?"

"There inside with your friend. –Don't worry about them," Karsyn answered flatly.

"I actually do worry about them," Prentiss replied.

"Really," Karsyn said coldly.

"Honestly, I do worry about them. And I worry about you too, Karsyn." Prentiss paused, and in a slightly quieter tone said, "I worry every day," more to herself than anyone else.

There was a moment of silence.

"Why are you here?" Karsyn asked; refusing to beat around the bush.

"Because I want to help you, Karsyn. I know the type of person you are, and I don't feel comfortable with you taking this mess on by yourself."

"You do realize that we wouldn't _be_ in this mess if you had taken your duties seriously! –I wouldn't have been a burden, Emily, but you wouldn't let me prove it to you!"

This was the point at which Karsyn felt all those familiar emotions bottled inside her rise up again. A knot grew in her stomach, she clenched her fists at her sides with so much force her nails were digging into her palms, and her eyes were tearing up with frustration.

"Why didn't you call me, Karsyn?" Prentiss asked.

In as calm of a voice she could keep without screaming at the top of her lungs, Karsyn replied, "Because last time I needed help from you, you failed to give it to me. –I didn't know four years ago that the person I asked to help me was the same one I had always referred to as 'the woman who let me down'. But I do now, and I refused to make that mistake again."

Just seeing Karsyn alive and well was enough to make Prentiss shed a few tears, but her comment worked just as well. Even Karsyn's gaze made her feel like she was being stabbed in the heart. The cause of this had nothing to do with the fact that Karsyn was staring her down with a look of incredible intensity –one that Prentiss knew very well –but rather because her eyes, besides their colour, looked exactly like her own.

"I'm sorry," was all Prentiss could bring herself to say.

Karsyn had nothing more to say, so she glared at Prentiss one last time, and then stormed off down the street towards her car.

When Prentiss walked inside the ice cream parlor moments after Karsyn left, she could feel a tear rolling down her cheek. Rossi came up to her and asked, "Something wrong?"

Prentiss shook her head and wiped away the tear, "It's nothing, Rossi, really."

"You sure?"

"I'm fine," she answered with a bit more force than was necessary.

"Alright, well when you're ready to talk..."

"I know," Prentiss replied, cutting him off.

It wasn't a case of whether or not she wanted to talk, but rather one where she forced herself not to. This story was one Prentiss didn't want to tell more than once, and she didn't want just anybody to hear it either. She knew the danger she was in at this time, and if she was going to spill the beans about everything, it would have to be to someone she knew would be able to repeat it word for word if the worst were to happen.

_Author's Note:__ Honestly, I can't wait to tell you guys the history that Prentiss and Karsyn have. In the meantime, I want you guys to guess what their story is! Tell me in a review...__**PLEASE REVIEW! **_


	4. Straight Answers

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own CM (Criminal Minds), the characters, and all that other stuff the show owns and I don't! All the new characters I have added are obviously mine!**

_Author's Note:__ Long time, no post!...Bad joke. Anyway, enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think! _

**The Sacrifices for Protection**

**Chapter 4**

**Straight Answers**

Money, power, determination; these –along with compassion and self-reliance –were the trademarks of being a Tylk. When it came to appearance; it meant pale skin, dark hair, and large eyes. Karsyn possessed all of these things –save for the pale skin and dark hair –and yet it was meaningless to her. What good was coming from a strong family if you were the last one to carry its name? She had no one to cherish and support her; and that was all she really wanted.

Karsyn walked down the sidewalk; away from the ice cream parlor, her step-cousins, Emily, and her problems. She needed time to blow off some steam and clear her head. Yes, it was a stupid decision to walk around this late at night alone and unarmed, but she didn't care. Karsyn couldn't think of one traumatizing thing that could happen to her that would be worse than what she had experienced earlier that night.

'_I can't catch a break,' _she thought to herself. _'...Then again...' _

The fact that Karsyn had met up with Prentiss could be considered a blessing. The reason? Prentiss seemed to genuinely care about Karsyn in that way only a family member or parent could. She wanted to help. It might have been because she felt guilty about her actions in the past, but did that really matter at this point? She had changed –apologized even –wasn't that enough?

'_Maybe...'_

Trusting Prentiss meant Karsyn might finally feel that love and affection she yearned for; and it would come from one of her own –a Tylk. That was what she desired, yet there was something about the situation that made Karsyn want to face it on her own; regardless of any reward she might get if she agreed to Prentiss' offer. Even though it had been seven years, Karsyn still held a grudge against Prentiss; and had difficulty seeing herself working with her since she was fully aware of what Prentiss had done. Why it was so hard for Karsyn to put the past behind her –where it belonged –was a different story entirely. One that even Karsyn barely understood.

. . .

One would think that coming from a well-known, respected family, the familiar faces he had seen across the street would have been smart; but in Levi's eyes, they were definitely stupid people. The older; a Federal Agent who knew the story playing itself out was her fault, yet failed to realize the dangers it put her in now that she was trying to make things right. The younger; an arrogant bitch who thought driving away in a car he formally owned would somehow make her harder to find.

'_Tylk's...Smart? –Biggest. Lie. Ever.'_

After all, Levi himself had been in law enforcement. He knew the same tricks and tactics they did. Had they forgotten that? Probably –they wouldn't have made it so easy for him if they hadn't.

. . .

The small room was fixed with one light that hung brightly in the centre of the ceiling; a complete contrast to the night sky outside both of the windows on the far wall. Empty boxes of Chinese take-out, coffee cups that were half full, and numerous police reports were spread out on the table's surface. When standing close to the white-board on the right wall, one would smell the strong cent of a marker that was used to write various notes. Some notes would stay; others would be wiped away with the quick movement of a dry erase brush on the board's surface. There was a small leather couch pushed up against the left wall; this was where Morgan was laying on his back. JJ stood in front of the white-board. Her left arm was across her stomach and was used to hold up her right; which had an open marker grasped between its fingers and was fisted up to support her chin. She stared blankly at the white-board; trying to come up with something new to add to the endless list of details about Levi Holt. Along with the two agents was Detective Amanda Lee; who was sitting at the table and looking at a map of the surrounding area around the prison.

Morgan stared up at the ceiling; trying to think of where Levi could possibly be. He thought out loud; using a skill he had played around with in past cases that seemed to work pretty well –and that was to put himself in the unsub's shoes.

"Alright, I'm an alcoholic. Cops don't scare me because I used to be one of them. I just escaped from prison, so the first thing I'll do is buy a drink. How many? One...two...maybe three –if I'm lucky. I can't drink too much because I need to be somewhat aware of my surroundings. Otherwise how am I supposed to find my sons and Karsyn." He paused, "Now, what bar do I want to go to?"

"_The Villa_ on _Stafford Street_," Detective Lee chimed in. "It's the closest bar to the prison."

"Let's check it out then," JJ replied; desperate for any sort of lead.

. . .

Prentiss sat in the passenger's seat of the car; consumed with her own thoughts. She didn't get it. What had she done tonight that infuriated Karsyn so much? Was it the fact that she apologized right away without really touching on the topic which angered Karsyn? Was avoiding that topic what really pissed her off, or was it the topic itself something she just never recovered from.

'_How could I have been so stupid!'_ Prentiss thought to herself. _'Did I seriously expect Karsyn to just forget everything that happened and recover perfectly from it?' _

Prentiss caught herself tearing up again. How could she have been so selfish?

'_I let Karsyn down...I let Jeff down...'_

Letting people down –that was her skill, her talent even; because more often than not Prentiss did nothing but disappoint.

. . .

The bar was a typical one. It was a bit on the older side in terms of its decor and colour scheme. Yet the people occupying it didn't seem to care. There were young adults walking to and from the bathroom; wasted. Older individuals sitting in corners; all alone. Strong looking men holding petite women at their sides; drinking and laughing to their hearts content.

Morgan looked at the picture of Levi in his hands. "Levi would've fit in here," he commented as he and JJ began to walk up to the counter.

"I was thinking the same thing," JJ replied while trying to avoid making eye contact with the desperate men shooting her looks as she passed by.

As the two approached the counter, a girl whose appearance was very similar to Karsyn's was handing a man his drink. Once finished, she turned her attention to JJ and Morgan.

"What can I get for you two?" she asked in a polite voice that was trying hard to mask her exhaustion.

Morgan held up his credentials, and put the picture down on the table and slid it her way, "Hopefully something useful. –Does this man look familiar to you?"

"We're with the FBI," JJ stated; holding her credentials up.

The girl took the paper as JJ and Morgan put their credentials away. It didn't take long for her to give them an answer.

"Levi Holt."

"You know him?" Morgan asked.

"Not personally; I know his step-niece," she answered while pushing a piece of brown hair out of her eyes.

"What's her name?" JJ asked; already knowing the answer.

"Karsyn," the girl replied.

"How do you know her?"

"She was a year younger than me in high school. –Interesting kid."

"In what way?" Morgan asked.

"She was one of those very quiet kids –almost invisible. You know; the kind that only a few people would notice if they didn't show up for class one day."

"You were one of those few people," JJ commented.

The girl nodded, "My friends used to always say we looked like twins. It's hard to ignore someone's presence after that."

The agents nodded.

"Have you seen her recently?" Morgan asked.

The girl shook her head.

"What about Levi?"

"Yeah, he was here not that long ago."

"Was he acting strange at all?" JJ asked.

"Everyone around here acts strange," the girl commented. "And besides, even if he was, I wouldn't have been able to tell. I don't know him very well..."

"Fair enough."

Having no further questions for this girl, the two agents thanked her, and then walked away.

. . .

Something was wrong –very, very wrong. Karsyn could barely walk without feeling uncomfortable. It felt like her insides were on fire; her flesh melting and burning away on the inside; while any human eye would see nothing wrong from the outside. It came out of nowhere; a sudden onset of discomfort in her lower abdomen. It crippled her.

Karsyn found a garbage can and leaned over. She had a small thought that maybe after vomiting she would feel better, instead she felt ten times worse. With the sleeve of her jacket she wiped her mouth, and then carefully took a few more steps to a bench. Her ears were starting to ring as she sat down, and she was seeing spots. She put her head between her knees and tried to control her breathing to calm herself down; all the while clutching her sides. What was going on? Why did her stomach hurt so much? Had she eaten something bad? Was the flu she had gotten a day earlier not finished running its course even though she thought it had?

She started to get the shakes. Her body was going from cold to hot and then back to cold again. "Am I dying?" she whispered to the ground.

"Wouldn't that be nice," a voiced hissed in response.

Karsyn froze. For a moment she forgot all about the pain she felt. Her body went rigid with fear. Was it him? It sounded like him. But how had he found her? What had she done to give herself away?

She lifted her head just enough to see the persons face; and then cringed as she put it back down. It was him. Seeing him at all was horrifying enough; but the fact that he was smiling at her was too much. Karsyn had looked at the hideous face she had tried so hard to avoid –and failed.

While on the verge of saying something; a wave of pain so terrible washed over her that she rolled off the bench. She had screamed for a few brief seconds while all he did was laugh. He had made some comment moments later, but she hadn't been able to make out what he said. Karsyn could feel his taunting smile staring her down. Why was he just standing there? Why didn't he do anything? Help her, or kill her, it was really just that simple; and yet he did neither.

Karsyn started to drift in and out of consciousness. Feeling so sick, she thought that being killed wouldn't even be that bad in comparison. In fact, if he shot her right now, she probably wouldn't even feel it.

"Kill me," was all she could get herself to say; and yet she still managed to say it with intensity.

Whether Levi had killed her, or decided to let her live, she didn't know. Karsyn had passed out before she got a straight answer.

_Author's Note:__ Alright, two things I want you guys to guess. One, what do you think the relationship is between Prentiss and Karsyn after reading this new chapter? Two, what do you think is the cause of Karsyn's pain?... You could also just tell me what you liked and didn't like about this chapter, that's cool too! __**PLEASE REVIEW! **_


	5. A Not So Fairy Godmother

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Criminal Minds, or anything that has to do with the show! Everything belongs to the people who make the show! This story idea, and the new characters I've added (Karsyn, Levi, Seren, and Zander) are all mine! **

_Author's Note:__ You guys wanted more Reid, so I have given you a whole chapter! Enjoy!_

**The Sacrifices for Protection**

**Chapter 5**

**A Not So Fairy Godmother**

Agreeing to the boys' request to stay with him had been a bold decision for Reid. The two might not have been young like Henry –and thus wouldn't be much of a burden in that respect –but they were old enough to feel emotion and ask questions about the situation. Reid found himself wondering if he would be able to provide sufficient answers for them if they happened to ask for details. To be completely honest, he wasn't sure –and that worried him.

Aside from that annoying thought, the remainder of the night with Seren and Zander seemed to run quite smoothly. Once they had returned to their hotel around midnight, the boys decided to watch some TV. Their program of choice ended up being the first _Pirates of the Caribbean_ movie. Reid was sceptical at first when Zander pointed it out. For him it might have been an entertaining movie, but for Seren, Reid wasn't quite sure. But of course his opinion changed when Seren said he loved the movie and started walking around the room acting like _Captain_ Jack Sparrow; so he figured it would be alright. At least it would bring a smile to their faces, because when Rossi and Prentiss had brought the boys back to the station about half an hour earlier, Reid couldn't help noticing how sad they had looked. Only during the car ride to the hotel had he learnt it was because Karsyn had said her goodbyes shortly before, so he was betting on the movie to help cheer them up –even if it was only for a short while.

Fortunately for Reid, he had been right. The three of them had a great time watching the movie, as well as acting out certain scenes during commercial breaks. The sword fights they had with pillows seemed to be the highlight of the night. Particularly for Reid when he saw how hard the two brothers were laughing when he fell to the floor seconds after Seren jumped from the bed and smacked him over the head with a pillow. It hurt, a lot, but his stomach hurt more than anything else. It had been a long time since he had laughed that hard.

The movie ended some time after two-thirty. The credits had been playing for a while, so Reid walked up to the TV and turned it off. He then turned and looked at the two kids who were sitting on one of the queen beds, "I think it would be wise of you went to bed now."

Seren pouted slightly, "It's not even that late, Spencer!"

"It's almost three in the morning! Most kids your age go to bed hours before this!"

"Seren's regular bedtime is around this time," Zander pointed out. "Or at least, this is when I usually find him passed out on the couch."

Reid looked at Zander with a somewhat stunned expression, "Is it actually?"

Zander nodded.

Reid didn't know what to say after that. That bit of information shouldn't have surprised him given who their foster parents were, but it did none the less.

"Can't we stay up a little longer?" Seren pleaded.

Reid smiled, "I'll tell you what, go brush your teeth and put on your pj's, and when you're done I'll decide."

A hopeful Seren got off the bed, grabbed his backpack, and ran into the bathroom.

Reid walked over to the couch that was next to the TV, and sat down. After that, he turned his attention back to Zander; whose face was fixated on the blank TV screen.

"Everything alright, Zander?" he asked in a desperate attempt to make things less awkward.

Zander's gaze left the TV, and instead met up with the ceiling as he lay on his back with his arms behind his head, "For now, I guess."

Reid said nothing. The room was silent except for the sounds of running water that came from the bathroom.

"Do you ever get the feeling something bad is going to happen?"

"Sorry, what?" Reid asked; having not been paying attention.

"Do you ever get the feeling something bad is going to happen? Like something's terribly wrong."

"Sometimes...Is that how you're feeling right now?"

"I haven't stopped since Karsyn left."

"It's natural to feel that way in a situation like this," Reid pointed out somewhat reassuringly. "I felt the same way after I heard my parents fight for the first time."

"And what happened after that."

"They ended up getting divorced, and I didn't see my dad again for a long time." He paused, "Of course the cause was because to something completely different but..."

Reid trialed off, so Zander commented, "At least your dad didn't go to prison for child abuse." He paused briefly, and then added, "At least your dad doesn't scare the shit out of you!"

"I can't imagine what that would be like," Reid said softly.

"Let's just say I enjoy going to school more than most people."

"I was the same way. It gave me a chance to escape what greeted me every time I got home."

"And what would that be?" Zander asked; somewhat annoyed.

"A schizophrenic mother."

"Again, at least you have a mom."

Even though they emailed now and then, not once over the past few years had Zander ever mentioned his mother to Reid.

"I..."

Zander sat up, "She died of a heart attack a few months before Karsyn showed up at our door."

"Was her death the cause of your dad's..."

"Alcoholism? Yeah."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Reid said calmly.

Zander turned his attention away from Reid, and started playing with a loose thread on the bedspread, "I miss her a lot more ever since Karsyn went to a different foster home. She was sort of my mother figure for a while. –I haven't really had one for the past four years."

There was a brief moment of silence in which Zander's demeanor changed drastically; going from semi-calm to anxious. Reid figured the mention of Zander's mother had triggered something inside him, so he let him vent.

"Ah! I never should have let Karsyn leave tonight!" he exclaimed; clenching his fists in frustration. "She'd be safer with us! –If she dies, it will be like losing my mom all over again, except this time it will be my dad's fault!"

"Karsyn's the type of person who likes to face her problems on her own. Agent Prentiss offered to help her, but she turned down the offer."

"Of course she did," he said sarcastically. "Karsyn wouldn't trust Emily even if you paid her to! She's had trust issues with her ever since their phone call..."

"When?"

"I don't know, six or seven years ago."

"Do you know what they were talking about?" Reid asked; having become very interested in the topic.

"I think it had something to do with Karsyn's dad –but I don't know. I just remember my dad talking to some person named Emily Prentiss, and then he gave the phone to Karsyn; who screamed about something for a long time. And then after she hung up, she started trashing everything she could get her hands on."

"Really," Reid said; somewhat shocked.

Even a genius like Reid was having a hard time making sense of everything. Karsyn didn't seem like the type who acted out for no reason. And he couldn't see Prentiss doing anything that could possibly make a person like Karsyn that upset.

His train of thought was interrupted by a phone call from Morgan.

"I'll be right back," Reid said to Zander as he left his hotel room. He answered the phone as he made his way towards the elevator.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Rossi got a call from the hospital. Some dude brought in a passed-out Karsyn with a ruptured appendix."

"I...Wow..." Reid commented as he stepped into the elevator, and pressed the button that would take him down to the lobby.

"It's strange, isn't it? –Rossi made a comment about how she did seem a little pale when he saw her last. Looks like it wasn't just nerves getting the best of her after all."

"Do you think I should..." Reid hesitated as the doors opened on the second floor, and a young lady –clearly drunk –stumbled into the elevator with her worried dad close behind. Her dad gave Reid an apologetic yet embarrassed smile; which Reid returned courteously. After the doors closed, Reid continued his thought to Morgan, "Should I take the boys to the hospital?"

"Maybe tomorrow –or I guess later today," Morgan replied. "Let them rest up for the time being. Besides, we already sent Emily there."

The elevator doors opened, greeting Reid with the hotel lobby. He quickly left the elevator and made his way over to the deserted sitting area.

"Hey, speaking of Prentiss, I think she and Karsyn have a past."

"Are you suggesting that they've known each other for more than four years?" Morgan asked.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Zander mentioned something about it earlier. Apparently Prentiss and Karsyn had some sort of heated argument over the phone at one point."

"That would explain Prentiss' odd behaviour the past few hours; she feels guilty. –I'll have Garcia do some digging on Karsyn. Maybe she'll come up with something."

"Alright, thanks."

"Get some sleep, kid."

"Night."

After ending his call with Morgan, Reid decided to stay in the lobby just in case Garcia, or Morgan, called him back with information. He was sitting in a comfortable chair, and figured he'd close his eyes for a few brief minutes. Apparently he had fallen asleep, because his phone woke him up at three-thirty.

"Yeah, Garcia?" he asked, rubbing his tired eyes with his free hand.

"You sound sleepy. –Oh what I would give to close my eyes and escape this world right now..."

"What do you want?" Reid snapped; cutting off what would have been a made-up, dramatic monologue.

"Someone's grumpy. –Anyway, I got Morgan's phone call, and I found something interesting. I figured I'd tell you the news first."

"Shoot."

"Get a load of this! Emily's mom, Ambassador Prentiss, yeah, her maiden name is Tylk."

"Okay, so Prentiss and Karsyn are related."

"Mhm. Turns out Prentiss has a cousin named Jeff. Who, I might add, happens to be Karsyn's father."

"So Prentiss is first cousins with Karsyn's dad?" Reid asked; wanting to be sure he had heard Garcia right.

"Yup. So what is Karsyn to Prentiss?"

"Her cousin's kid?"

"Her goddaughter, genius! Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo our Emily is a godmother! –She was _supposed_ to be Karsyn's legal guardian if something ever happened to her parents."

"Why didn't she take her in?"

"No idea."

Reid didn't know what else to say, so he thanked Garcia, and then ended the call. On the way back to his hotel room, he could only think of one thing:

'_If what Garcia said is true, why did Prentiss send Karsyn to Levi instead of taking her in?'_

He didn't get it. Prentiss loved children; she always had. So why was it that the one time she was supposed to act like a parent, she turned down the job?

_Author's Note:__ I figured I couldn't wait any longer to tell you Prentiss and Karsyn's relationship. I was dragging it out a lot already. Their phone call we be talked about in more detail later on!... __**PLEASE REVIEW! **_


	6. To Let Go

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Criminal Minds, or anything that has to do with the show! I own Karsyn, Seren, Zander etc, as well as this story idea! **

_Author's Note:__ This chapter is more of a flashback than anything else. I felt like it would add to the story, so that's why I wrote it. Enjoy! _

**The Sacrifices for Protection**

**Chapter 6**

**To Let Go**

_Boston, Massachusetts_

_December 20__th__, 1992_

It had been a long drive from New Haven, Connecticut to her aunt and uncle's home. Most of the people Prentiss knew at college had left almost a week earlier to enjoy their holidays. Unfortunately for her, her job as a waitress had forced her to stick around a bit longer. Convincing her boss to give her time off had proved to be difficult, but not impossible; which was why she now sat in an armchair near the crackling fire, her cousin's newborn daughter fast asleep in her arms.

Prentiss took her eyes off the baby to look outside the home's front window. It was getting darker outside, yet she was still able to spot large snowflakes that clung to the tree branches and littered the front yard. She then focused on the Christmas tree on the other side of the room. It stood tall. The lights on it shone like colourful stars; illuminating the ornaments of different sizes and styles that hung on the tree's prickly branches. The hustle and bustle she heard in the kitchen brought back childhood memories of past holidays. At one point she heard her mom shout,

"Max! Get out of the kitchen before I kick your sorry you-know-what out of here myself! –And stop tasting everything for god's sake! ...I swear, Leanne, how can you stand living with him?"

"I'm a grown man, Elizabeth! You can't push me around like you used to! ...And besides, this is my house!" her uncle had retorted.

Prentiss' uncle was one of those people whose sarcasm was difficult to point out. Because of this, she had a hard time trying to figure out if he was actually mad, or just joking. There was a pause in the conversation in which she assumed her mother had given her younger brother a warning look, causing him to walk away.

"I swear..." she heard Leanne say to her mother once Max was out of earshot. "He thinks he's the king of the world ever since he became a grandpa."

Prentiss thought back to the day she learnt of Karsyn's arrival. It had been the tenth of December when her cousin Jeff called with the good news:

"It's a girl!" he had said excitedly on the phone.

"Oh, Jeff, that's wonderful!" Prentiss had replied. "What's her name?"

"Karsyn Marie Tylk."

"I love it! –Speaking of Marie, how's she doing?"

"Let's just say that you'd never think she'd been in labour for the past six hours."

"Well that's good."

Their conversation had changed to the family gathering.

"Don't tell me you're working that night, Emily. You're too young to be working this hard."

"Flattery won't change anything, Jeff. But I'll try my best to get a few days off."

And now here she was, just over a week later, humming to Christmas carols that played on the radio while watching Karsyn's chest rise and fall with each smooth, quiet breath. The baby's large eyes were covered with tired eyelids, and her small, delicate fingers were tightly wrapped around Prentiss' pointer finger. Prentiss felt her heart melt as Karsyn smiled up at her in her sleep; dreaming of things so simple, happy, and overall just peaceful.

"Do you want coffee, Emily?" Jeff's step-brother, Levi, asked; poking his head out of the kitchen.

"Ah, no thanks." she replied.

As he disappeared back into the kitchen, Marie came into the living room carrying a cup of coffee. She went up to Prentiss, and stood over her; watching her daughter interact with her husband's cousin.

"Jeff says she has your eyes, Emily. And I think I have to agree with him."

"Their Jeff's colour though," Prentiss pointed out; looking up at Marie. She stole a quick glance at Karsyn, and then added, "I see more of her mother in her appearance than anyone else."

"So I've been told," Marie replied with a smile. "It's the hair and skin tone."

"Yeah."

It was then that Jeff entered the room. He put an arm around his wife's waist, and then after a few seconds of looking at Karsyn, said, "I think she likes you Em'. She doesn't stay this calm with just anybody."

"I find that hard to believe," Prentiss commented. "She's been calm this whole evening."

Jeff gave a small chuckle, "It sure seems that way...Hey, can I ask you something? –Or I guess can _we_ ask you something?"

"Ask away."

"Well –it's just that –if something were to ever happen to us, Marie and I want to make sure Karsyn is in good hands..."

"Would you like to be Karsyn's godmother, Emily?" Marie asked; cutting him off.

Stunned, yet honored, Prentiss nodded her head, "I'd love to."

_Present day..._

The memory of that Christmas left as fast as it had come; leaving a deep hole in Prentiss' chest. Everything had been so simple then. Levi was happily married to Eloise; the future mother of Zander and Seren. Jeff and Marie were still alive and well; proud parents of their first daughter. Even her uncle, who now suffered from Alzheimer's and lived in a nursing home, had been healthy. If only things could go back to how they were back then, or at least far enough so Prentiss could change certain aspects of her past; like the decision to adopt Karsyn for example. At least then, if she changed that one thing, there would be no need to sit in the hospital waiting room, wondering and worrying whether or not Karsyn was going to be okay.

As the memory of that family get-together faded, Prentiss seemed to hate herself more than ever.

'_I never should've sent her away...'_

She started to pick at her fingernails as she waited for Karsyn's operation to finish. Her nails had become raw and pink because of it. The nervous habit had developed over the years, however it had only started after that one phone call she had had with Karsyn. The screaming, the anger, the hatred; the conversation had screwed with something in her head, causing her nails to become victims of stress and anxiety release.

No more than an hour had past when a doctor approached Prentiss and told her she could visit Karsyn. She ceased the opportunity, and found Karsyn's room immediately. As she entered, Karsyn was passed out. There were quite a few scratches on her pale face, but at least she was alive, which was all Prentiss really cared about.

Prentiss went and stood at the side of Karsyn's bed. She noticed how one of Karsyn's hands was at her side, palm facing the ceiling, daring Prentiss to take it in her own. Unable to let the chance pass her by, she took Karsyn's warm hand, and was touched when she didn't pull back. Karsyn's fingers wrapped themselves around Prentiss' whole hand now, instead of just one figure like they had in the past. There was a small smile on her face, yet Prentiss knew her dreams couldn't possibly be happy. Even so, Karsyn looked just as peaceful as she had as an infant. And because of it, when the doctor said it was time to leave, Prentiss just couldn't bring herself to let go.

_Author's Note:__ Not gonna lie, I love this ending! It's sad, yet it makes me smile at the same time. Hopefully you guys feel the same...__**PLEASE REVIEW! **_


	7. Scared to be Scarred (Not Alone)

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Criminal Minds, or anything else that has to do with the show and the producers etc. I own this story idea and the new characters that have been introduced. They are a creation of MINE! **

_Author's Note:__ Sorry for the wait, I was at __**Pigfarts**__...I couldn't exactly post a new chapter from there! :D __**(For those of you who understand this reference, you are officially awesome!)**_

**The Sacrifices for Protection**

**Chapter 7**

**Scared to be Scarred (Not Alone)**

As was expected, Karsyn woke up dazed and confused the next morning:

'_Why am I in the hospital?...Why am I hooked up to IV's?... Ow! Why does my stomach hurt so much!'_

A nurse had to explain the situation to her three times before it _started_ to click. When she asked for the details a fourth time, confident that she would understand after, the nurse became frustrated and just left the room. Karsyn wasn't too impressed by this. She couldn't help the fact that her mind refused to wrap itself around the news she was receiving. Her inability to comprehend the situation wasn't her fault. If anything, it was the nurse's. For Karsyn blamed the pain medication for her problems, and the nurse was the one who put her on the meds in the first place.

Eventually, after much persuasion and concentration, Karsyn understood that she had suffered from appendicitis, and that it had been the cause of her sudden flu symptoms earlier.

'_Whatever...I don't need an appendix anyway...'_

On a normal day, the whole situation probably would have had more of an impact on Karsyn. She'd find herself a bit more worried and uptight about everything. However something had changed in her when she woke up that morning; she felt more relaxed...happy even. Generally speaking, Karsyn wasn't the type of person who experienced that emotion often. So what had caused her happiness? Well, it came from a dream she had the night before. It had been a curious dream, but an enjoyable one none the less.

Karsyn dreamt that Emily had come to see her the second she was placed in her hospital room. That in itself made her feel special; the fact that she was worthy of someone else's time. Aside from this, Emily had sat down in a chair next to her bed, and held her hand as an act of comfort. She wasn't exactly fond of the fact that it was Emily who was showing her compassion, but Karsyn hadn't felt any sort of love from an adult in years, and that dream was the closest thing to feeling like she was important; which was why she felt so happy. At one point, the emotions she felt in her dream seemed so lifelike that for a few brief seconds she thought that the encounter hadn't really been a dream at all, but an actual event. If she hadn't woken up to a chair on the other side of the room rather than next to her bedside, perhaps she would have reconsidered the encounter.

. . .

It had been a rough night. Prentiss tossed and turned so much that she wasn't even sure if she had truly slept. As she had found out on other occasions –specifically those involving Ian Doyle –it was incredibly hard to fall asleep when her thoughts were racing. Her main thought had to do with how similar her situation was to Karsyn's. For starters, both were going through a trauma that was slowly breaking them down emotionally and physically. One was worried that the girl she was meant to care for would never forgive her, the other worried that she might be murdered by the hand of a family member...

Not knowing the outcome was the worst part. It caused incredible amounts of stress and anxiety, keeping sleep at a distance, and perhaps totally lost. Prentiss was fairly used to this type of pressure. She was older; her body and mind were actually capable of functioning normally with it. Karsyn, on the other hand, was, in her eyes, still just an innocent child. A child who did not need the stress bestowed on her, and must've have aged mentally far beyond her physical age as a result. Again Prentiss realized that this was her fault. And, well, it was enough to keep her awake for hours. As a result, when she was unable to lie awake a minute longer, she got herself dressed and headed off to the hospital, with the hopes that perhaps she and Karsyn would finally be able to make amends. The two had some issues that needed to be straightened out if they were ever to move forward. If their nightmares were going to end, they would have to quit looking back at the past and instead turn around to face their future.

Once at the hospital, Prentiss walked passed Karsyn's room to see if she was awake. As she passed it, she noticed that Karsyn was sitting up in her bed; a good sign.

'_Perhaps she's feeling better...'_

At that moment, her heart started to pound and her stomach dropped.

'_What if she freaks out at me again? What if the damage done can't be fixed? What if...What if...'_

Prentiss took a few steps back, and went up to the door.

'_Focus, Emily! You're acting like a child! You're a grown woman for god's sake! Man up! ...Besides, if this doesn't work, you at least know you tried.'_

Not wanting to be rude, she decided to knock on the door before she would enter. She lifted her arm, made the motion, and seconds later a voice called out, "Come in."

Karsyn watched the door intently as a familiar figure slowly walked into her room. She made eye contact with Prentiss, and received a weak smile in return.

Pointing at a vacant chair, Prentiss asked, "May I?"

Karsyn nodded, and watched as Prentiss moved the chair to her bedside.

Once Prentiss was seated, Karsyn commented, "If you're here to talk, just know that I'm willing to listen this time. And I have no intention of screaming at you."

Karsyn wasn't overly impressed to see her, but figured Prentiss deserved her attention for the time being.

"I appreciate that."

There was a moment of silence.

Confused as to why Prentiss hadn't started talking, Karsyn asked, "That is why you're here, isn't it? To talk?"

"Yeah –listen, I want to apologise for being a bad parental figure to you. You deserved better..."

"Sorry to interrupt, but just out of curiosity, why does this matter so much to you?"

Caught off guard, Prentiss replied, "I just –" she paused to organize her thoughts, "I hate knowing that you loathe me; how every thought of me still pisses you off...Wow, that sounded really pathetic out loud..."

Karsyn looked down at her blankets, pretending to be fixated with something on them.

"As pathetic as it is, it's the truth, right?"

"Partially."

"What do you mean?" she asked, looking up.

"I owe it to your dad, and mom, to keep an eye out for you. I promised them I would, and then I broke that promise, and now I want to fix it. I want to help you, Karsyn. And I hope that by the time I leave here, you might have a change of heart and give me the chance to make things right."

Karsyn thought about everything for a moment, and then replied, "I accept your apology, and your offer to help me –considering the fact that I can't exactly help myself in this state. However, at this point I can't forgive you for what you did. I went through so much after my parents died. You have to understand that the healing process for me will take some time."

Karsyn couldn't help feeling a bit guilty for what she said. She felt like she should have been able to move on and forget the whole thing, but she couldn't do it. Over the years, she had been cut very deep emotionally, and every time her wounds started to heal, something triggered them to reopen, so her mind was full of scars. She meant every word when she said she needed time to heal.

"I completely understand," Prentiss answered.

Karsyn stared at Prentiss after she made her comment; searching for any sign of falsity or hollowness. She still had a hard time trusting Prentiss after all, and wasn't sure if she wanted to continue talking.

Sensing Karsyn's uneasiness with her presence, Prentiss added, as a statement more for clarification than anything else, "For the record, I loved both your parents very much, especially your dad, he was like a brother to me...Not a day goes by where I don't find myself missing them."

Fortunately for Karsyn, she found Prentiss' words to be genuine, and that made her feel a bit better.

"I find that I miss them most around the holidays...Especially my mom on mother's day."

"Makes sense."

"No, it's not what you think. There's a specific reason..."

Karsyn wasn't sure if she wanted to continue with her story, but did so anyway. She couldn't find any harm in opening up a bit.

"Basically, when I was in the seventh grade, the teacher gave us an assignment where we were supposed to bring our moms –or a female relative who we were close to –to school on our last class before mother's day. You would tell the class what you liked about them, and then they would tell the class what they liked about you. There were other things we would do, but that was the main gist. Anyway, everybody brought someone...except for me. I remember sitting in the back row staring at a family picture I had brought. Eventually my eyes just got all glassy, and the teacher noticed and sent me to the washroom...I sat there for over an hour just crying my eyes out."

Karsyn had whispered the last part, then looked away since she was beginning to tear up and was embarrassed about it. After a few seconds, she said, "Only Seren and Zander have heard that story..."

She turned her attention to Prentiss again, and noticed how she was tearing up too.

"I'm sorry," Karsyn began. "That was uncalled for. I just..."

"No," Prentiss interrupted. "It was totally called for. I deserved that." She shook her head, "I should have been there for you. It's my fault."

Karsyn gave her a small smile, "I wish you would have."

The two stared at each other in silence before Karsyn changed the subject, "I had a dream last night where you came to visit me here the moment my surgery ended..."

"I did come and visit you ..."

"Did you sit next to my bed and take my hand?" Karsyn asked, a bit surprised.

"I stood, but the rest is true."

"So it wasn't a dream?"

Prentiss smiled, "No, it wasn't."

Karsyn didn't know what to say after that. The wheels in her mind were beginning to turn as she tried to make sense of everything. The dream that made her feel so happy wasn't a dream, and yet she was ungrateful to the person who had made her feel that way. It was then that she realized something horrible, and it gave her a nice shock.

'_You idiot! You do this to everybody!'_

Karsyn was alone. She had no friends and practically no family anymore. It was her fault she had turned out like this. Every time someone tried to get close to her, to get her to open up, she pushed them away. The only people she had ever truly opened up to, besides her parents, were Seren and Zander. It wasn't intentional, she never wanted to love them as much as she did, things just turned out that way. The only reason it happened was because they craved the attention, and she felt it was her duty to give it to them. Then, as time passed, the _'I love you'_ s became real, and she hated herself for ever giving them the attention in the first place, because if something happened to them, two more names would be added to the list of people who caused her emotional scarring. She had opened up to Dr Reid somewhat, but that was only to ensure that he was making contact with her step-cousins. Again this was something she wasn't proud of.

Now she was doing the same thing to Emily, except at this moment she finally understood why she kept pushing people away, why she didn't want Emily around when at the same time she did. It was because she was scared, scared that she would get hurt again, scared that anybody she got close to would be taken away from her, scared that new emotional cuts would appear that would slowly tear her apart even though she so desperately wanted to be loved. Every day she tried so hard to avoid people while missing out on the attention they could offer her if she just gave them the chance.

She would never be able to control what happened to the people she loved, she could do everything in her power to protect them but it might not be enough. It was this last thought, this thought she had never noticed before, that made her start to cry.

Even though Karsyn wasn't saying anything, Prentiss could still tell what was going on inside her head. The expression on her face, the loneliness in her eyes; she had seen the same thing when she looked in the mirror on more than one occasion.

Feeling like it was the right thing to do; Prentiss leaned forward in her chair and embraced Karsyn.

"Trust me, you're not alone."

Karsyn had turned her body slightly so that she was facing Prentiss, and was able to hug her back. She closed her eyes tight, and a tear fell from her cheek onto Prentiss' shoulder.

'...So this is what it feels like to be loved. To have someone watching my back instead of the other way around...'

Karsyn had craved the attention for so long, and was finally receiving it.

After a while, the two separated. Prentiss wiped away a stray tear under her eye with her thumb, while Karsyn did so with the edge of a blanket. Prentiss was about to say something, but felt her phone buzz. She reached into her jacket pocket and read a text message Reid had sent her:

_We need to talk..._

Not liking the sound of the situation, Prentiss responded with:

_At the hospital. Maybe later._

"Sorry about that," Prentiss said to Karsyn as she put her phone away.

"Don't worry about it."

Karsyn had used the time Prentiss was on the phone to think about her current dilemma –the fact that she had seen Levi the night before.

"Listen, could you do me a favour?" Karsyn asked.

"Sure."

"Can you go convince the doctor to let me leave? I feel fine."

"Sorry, I don't think I'm going to do that," was Prentiss' answer.

"What? Why?"

"If you think about it, you'll be safer here. This place is filled with people who will be able to protect you. Once you leave, you'll be vulnerable, especially now considering you've just been operated on."

"I know, but I saw Levi yesterday. I'd feel safer if I was with you and the rest of your team."

"Did he come visit you?" Prentiss asked; getting concerned.

"No, I saw him before I blacked out," Karsyn explained.

"I'm not liking the sound of that..." Prentiss said as she stood up from her chair.

"So you'll convince the doctor to let me go?" Karsyn asked; getting hopeful.

"I still think you'll be safer here..."

Knowing she was defeated, Karsyn asked a second question, "In that case, could you do me a different favour?"

"I guess so."

"Can you get my bag out of my car? I have some books in there and other things that will keep me busy while I'm here."

"Where is it? In the parking lot?"

"At the ice cream place..."

Prentiss gave a small chuckle, "Alright, I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Thanks."

As Prentiss began to leave, she heard Karsyn say, "Be safe."

She turned back to face her and smiled, "I will."

Prentiss left the room and made a sharp right to the nearest exit. Her mind had wandered, and she ended up walking into one of the doctors going the opposite direction.

"Watch it!" he growled.

"Sorry," Prentiss replied.

As Prentiss stepped past him, she thought, _'People can be so rude...'_

_Author's Note:_ _(sings) Baby you're not alone, because your here with me. And nothing's ever gonna bring us down 'cause nothing can keep me from...(stops singing) __**Someone continue this song for me, it'll make my day! (btw I don't own these lyrics)...PLEASE REVIEW!**_


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